$14 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan Pending; Representative to US Says Communication is Good

(CNA, Washington, 18th, Reporter Hou Tzu-ying) After U.S. President Trump's visit to China, he stated that a decision on a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan would be made soon. In response, Taiwan's Representative to the U.S., Yu Ta-hsieh, said in an interview with American media today that communication between Taiwan and the U.S. is good, smooth, and ongoing, with discussions about Taiwan's defense needs. He emphasized that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would severely impact the global economy, making the maintenance of peace in Taiwan crucial. In an interview with Fox Business today, Yu Ta-hsieh was asked how Taiwan's self-defense capabilities would be affected if it failed to obtain weapons pending approval from Donald Trump. Yu responded that Taiwan would defend its position. He also stressed that communication between the Taiwanese and U.S. governments is good, smooth, and uninterrupted, with ongoing discussions about what equipment best meets Taiwan's defense needs. "This is an ongoing dialogue," he said, including what Taiwan needs, what it can obtain, and how quickly it can acquire these armaments. Yu pointed out that the Taiwanese government is gradually increasing its defense budget. Besides emphasizing the determination of the Taiwanese people to defend themselves, he also said that any assistance from other allies is welcome. On the other hand, Taiwan plays a crucial role in the global production of high-end chips. Yu stated that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would cause huge losses to the global economy, making the maintenance of peace in Taiwan critically important. Yu noted that the United States is very good at chip design, while Taiwan excels at using machinery from the U.S., the Netherlands, and Japan to expand chip production and manufacturing. "This triangular partnership works very well," he said. As Trump pushes to expand domestic chip production in the U.S., Taiwan has also pledged to expand its investment in the U.S., part of which is a $250 billion autonomous investment by Taiwanese companies, including investments in semiconductors, AI applications, electronic manufacturing services (EMS), energy, and other industries. Yu stated that Taiwan is working to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., "because expanding our manufacturing capabilities is also in our interest." Furthermore, Fox Business reported that Yu also refuted any claims that Taiwan is moving towards independence. He pointed out that the Taiwanese government is committed to maintaining the status quo. President Lai Ching-te has already stated that he will defend the status quo of the Republic of China, that there is no "Taiwan independence" issue, and that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign, independent, and democratic country. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150519